Living in an old country field stone farmhouse, cottage gardens seem more appropriate than dedicated Asian gardens. However, Asian influence has always been a part of our landscape highlighted by love of Japanese maples.

Most people would equate Japanese maples as the common red leaf "Bloodgood." Most would not equate Japanese maples nor any maple for that matter with "blooms." Japanese maples however do offer colorful blooms, albiet small ... but en masse.

Here are a few examples from our garden yesterday, sorry, just phone photos.

The most common species of Japanese maple is Acer palmatum, however the more uncommon species are generally better bloomers ...

Acer japonicum cultivar displaying buds, blooms, and young samara winged fruits all in the same cluster. Only around 6-7 feet tall (around 2 meters), it will have hundreds of these clusters each Spring that last for weeks

... and highly underrated, pubescent Spring foliage IMHO ...

Acer palmatum has lots of bloomers too, here is var. atrolineare.

... with its remarkable unfurling bamboo-like Spring foliage.

And yes, despite having an eye for the more unusual (a tea drinkers personality perhaps), here is a "red" though less common A. palmatum "Boskop Glory" in Spring ... umm ... glory. The ant is domestic.

Wisteria sinensis (Chinese Wisteria) is loved by many. I planted this Wisteria 27 years ago. The single trunk is quite remarkable and impressive ... but in the Spring, it is "all about the blooms" ... even this local feline seemed impressed.

I guess I can claim some Asian flora in my garden too....although these plants all predate my tenancy here. I've only added a few native California shrubs. I have wisteria too, but mine is already all done with the blooms and into the green & leafy phase, trying to grab onto the drain pipes, the better to pull the place apart. But this was what it looked like in bloom a few weeks ago

but I believe the honeybee is European.

The camellias are Asian, of course

Citrus of course come from Asia, like this lemon

and oranges too, with their very.....interesting.....blooms

Another favorite spring 'target' for the camera are the photinia blossoms

And then there's the hibiscus or Rose of Sharon

Nandina is a delicate shrub native to East Asia

And I think that's about it for the Asian plants in the garden. It's not very Asian in garden layout or design, but a remarkable number of the showiest plants originated there.

And bringing it back to tea, I mostly enjoy the garden through the windows while drinking tea, or occasionally I walk around with a cuppa. I have taken advantage of citrus blooms to scent some An Ji Bai Cha, which was quite a stunning combination, but this drought year has stressed the plants enough that there aren't enough flowers to 'thin' for tea.

This is also why i really enjoy Japanese flora, more precise, southern Japan flora. Yesterday dug up a bit of bamboo shots, i guess over 50kg totally before cleaning

And this i believe is kumquat, didn't try it until i came to Japan. I saw them in shops once in a while, but they were selling at ridiculously high prices. Now i can enjoy them fresh from tree and for free. Somehow similar to honey with lemon packed in a convenient one bite package